Opportunities

Dear Friends,

The Alliance has progressed in a number of areas of Consortium design over the recent weeks, including working with a member reference group (Canada, Australia and Norway) in coming up with the penultimate Consortium constitution; implementation of a review and assessment of the opportunities for shared corporate and research support services; design and functions of the Consortium Office; options for the geographical location of the Consortium Office and the search and selection of Consortium Board members. More information on all the work streams the Alliance is working on is available on the Alliance information site http://alliance.cgxchange.org/welcome.

This Alliance update is focused on two key activities currently underway - the search and selection of Consortium Board members and options for the geographical location of the Consortium Office. The Alliance seeks your active engagement in both of these activities in order to capture as wide and diverse inputs as possible.

Consortium Board search and selection:

A tripartite group of representatives from members, the Alliance and partners has been formed under the chairmanship of Julio Berdegué (Board Chair of CIMMYT). This Search and Selection Committee (SSC) is working with the executive search firm of Spencer Stuart to identify candidates for the Board of the new Consortium.

The names of potential candidates for the Consortium Board are now being sought

The leader of the search team is Mr. Andrea Pecchio (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., telephone + 39 06.80207.222). Andrea will be contacting all of you in the coming weeks, however you are also encouraged to contact Andrea yourself if you have names you would like to put forward. Spencer Stuart is in the process of developing a formal profile. In the meantime, the Committee wants to share with you the basic elements that they have asked Spencer Stuart to consider:

A. Qualifications:

1. Transformative leaders, with significant experience in inspiring and leading change processes in organizations working in science and technology and/or international development

2. Outstanding international reputation, access to high-level policy makers, civil society leaders, business leaders, in the North and the South

3. Ability to work in multi-cultural context

4. Significant direct experience in governance and/or management of large organizations, preferably those with an international scope

5. Commitment to poverty reduction and to international development
6. Understanding of science, technology and innovation
7. For the Chair and Vice-Chair, experience in group leadership would be a plus, in order to develop the 9 members into an effective team

8. Willingness and ability to dedicate about 25% (Chair) or 15-20% (Vice-Chair) or 15% (Directors) of their time to Board issues; willingness to travel extensively

9. Fluent English

B. Skill sets that should be the first-order criteria to fill in the Board positions:

1. Management expertise at CEO level
2. Governance expertise in private sector, large universities or large NGOs

3. At least three members with finance, administration and/or audit expertise (this is meant to include a professional qualification)

4. Experience in change management in large, complex organizations
5. Science and technology, particularly in agriculture, biotech
6. Policy processes and policy making in the North and South, preferably related to Science and Technology or to International Development

7. International development and poverty reduction

C. Balance criteria to be fulfilled for the collective:

1. Regional diversity. A North-South balance is very important, with no less than 1/3 of the Board from each group of regions.

2. Gender - no less than 33% and ideally 50% from one gender. Ideally Chair and Vice-Chair from different gender
3. Experience in and knowledge of CGIAR, no less than three and no more than four members of the Board
4. Chair and Vice-Chair ideally one from developing and the other from developed countries
5. Commercial / non-profit and civil society / government sectors

Geographical location of the Consortium Office:

We are seeking nominations of candidate locations for the Consortium Office: http://alliance.cgxchange.org/let-us-have-your-ideas-on-where-the-consortium-office-should-be-located

An on-line survey has been set up for you to enter the country/city and rationale for potential locations. The results of this survey will be used to generate a short list of candidate locations which will then be analysed for suitability. Multiple nominations for a single location will not necessarily give priority to that location; rather each location nominated will be assessed against various criteria relevant to the success of the Consortium Office. This survey will close on 21st August but we welcome further input by email to Fiona Chandler (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) after this date.


We look forward to your input to both of the above activities. If there is any further information on these or any aspect of the Consortium design process required please don’t hesitate to contact the Alliance Office (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).